Back

I'm back from 12 days on the road.  12 days of eating out. 12 days of sleeping in hotels. 12 days of working insane hours.

Boy is it good to be home.  But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a pretty remarkable 12 days.  Of course, it doesn't hurt that I spent the majority of those 12 days here:

LaQuinta Resort & Club

Seriously.  That's the driveway to our hotel (or should I say, Paradise).

So here's the skinny.  I spent 10 days in Palm Springs for the GCSAA National Championship & Golf Classic.  The event I am in charge of.  The event I spend a whole year working on.  From there, I went to Las Vegas for the GCSAA Education Conference & Golf Industry Show to give my colleagues a hand during our association's biggest and most important event of the year.  This 10-day stretch is a big deal for my company.  It sets the stage, both financially and philosophically, for the entire year.  We work our tails off.

What made this year different is that I squeezed in a little fun, too.  Drew joined me in Palm Springs on the front end of my trip (before things got too insanely busy) for a few days of golf in the desert and some grown up time sans Jack.  It was dreamy.

It also explains the lack of blog activity since the first of the year.  Not only was I buried in work, but I was also busy preparing my house and my three-year-old for 12 days without Mommy and 5 days without Daddy. 

It would be silly (not to mention time consuming) to go over every detail of the days leading up to the trip and the trip itself but I can certainly reflect on the highlights now that I've had a chance to settle back into a somewhat normal routine.

So, in no particular order, here are some thoughts post Tournament/Conference/GIS 2012:

• I have the greatest mom ever.  She spent 5 days alone with Jack while Drew was in California with me.  Not only did they have a fabulous time, but I didn't worry about them a bit.  Seriously, not once.  In fact, I think this little break from his parents and some special 1 on 1 time with his Nana was as good for Jack as it was for us.  I can't tell you how fabulous it was to be able to truly relax and not have to worry a minute about how things were going at home.  Thanks for that, Mom.  (And thanks for deep cleaning my house, too!)
• Face Time rocks.  This was the first year that Drew, Mom & I all three had iPhones so we could face time through the entire trip.  It sure did make it easier to be thousands of miles away from my little man when I could see his face every day.  And I think it eased his mind a time or two as well.
• I don't go to the spa nearly enough.  While Drew played golf on some of the most stunning golf courses in the country, I treated myself to some pampering in the spa.  Magical.
• While it's a hell of a lot of work, it is hands down the most rewarding week of the year professionally.  It is a fabulous feeling to see a whole year's worth of work come together before your eyes.  It is equally empowering and humbling to be on the receiving end of the accolades from our members and sponsors.  And I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty damn cool to be a "VIP" for the week as the host city, golf courses and hotel roll out the red carpet for you.
• Eating out is a welcomed luxury at home, but after 12 days of hotel food and restaurants a pb&j sandwich or bowl of cereal never sounded so good.
• I am madly in love with my husband.  Without a doubt, this was the best trip we have taken since our honeymoon just over 10 years ago.  Of course, the golf and spa days were phenomenal, but mostly I just loved having him there.  I loved that he was finally able to experience first hand the part of my job that I work so hard on.  I loved that he met many of my colleagues that I talk about so often and travel with regularly - and even made some new friends/golfing buddies in the process.  Most of all, I loved the alone time from date night at Ruth's Chris to lounging in the hot tub.  It reminded me that even though we're in parenting mode right now, and cherish every minute of it, we are more than just Jack's Mom & Dad.  It felt good to be Heidi & Drew for a few days. 
• No matter how fabulous a trip is, the best part is always coming home.  I made it home in time to pick Jackson up from school.  He greeted me with a full sprint and a bear hug.  I'm not sure which of us was squeezing harder.  Then he whispered in my ear, "Mom, I'm so glad to see you."  I have no idea how I managed to keep the tears at bay.

So there you have it. 

Here's to being back.  Back to colder weather without blooming flowers and mountain views.  Back to cooking, washing dishes, grocery shopping, house cleaning, paying bills and running errands.  Back to blogging.  Back to cartoons, baths, bedtime stories, puzzles and all things Toy Story.  Back to reality. 

Back home.

Turns out Dorothy was right.  There's no place like home.